After being dormant for three years, the Lompoc Valley Flower Festival will fully return in 2023.
The festival, held primarily in Ryon Park, at 800 W. Ocean Ave., begins Thursday and continues through Sunday. Gates will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
After being crowned recently, the 2023 Lompoc Valley Flower Festival queen, Ava Nasr, will reign over the four-day event. She was sponsored by the Lompoc Rotary Club.
This year’s theme, “Country Road,” will carry over to the first parade since 2019. The procession with about 40 entries will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday traveling south on H Street from College Avenue, turning right on Ocean Avenue and ending at Ryon Park.
“The rest of the city is pretty excited to see the parade back, so that’s cool,” Autumn Williamson from the Lompoc Valley Festival Association said.
Serving as grand marshal for this year’s parade will be Frank Signorelli, who spent 40 years on the Lompoc Valley Medical Center board.
Drivers should expect road closures on H Street (Highway 1) from North Street and Ocean Avenue (Highway 246) from F to R streets between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, according to Caltrans representatives.
The Lompoc Valley Festival Association, a nonprofit organization with a small army of volunteers, organizes the festival. This year’s president is Inga McCullough.
Some nonprofit-operated food booths including favorites serving jambalaya, strawberry shortcake, pancit and lumpia will return for this year’s festival.
Food trucks also will be set up at the park, including Birria Boyz, Big Jaykes and Kekas.
Performances on the Flower Festival stage will begin each morning and continue into the night.
Thursday’s acts include Terry Lawless with Sweet T’s One-Man Caravan taking the stage from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Bill Agin & Territorial Law from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and up-and-coming country star Drew Baldridge from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
On Friday, performers include Black Hills Gold at 6 p.m. and The Molly Ringwald Project at 8 p.m.
Saturday’s lineup includes local singer Kaitlyn Chui at 2 p.m., The Fossils at 3:15 p.m., Dylan Ortega at 5 p.m., Livewire at 6:30 p.m. and Tennessee River, an Alabama tribute band, at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday’s schedule includes an assortment of Latino musicians, including 805 Cali Tejanos at 2:45 p.m. and Las Chikas, an all-female salsa band, at 4:30 p.m.
Also on Sunday, Live Love Dance will perform at 10:30 a.m., followed by Garcia Dance Studio at 11:30 a.m.
Festival admission is $5 with children age 12 or younger admitted for free. However, before 1 p.m. Thursday and Friday, admission will be free for everyone.
An assortment of food booths, arts and crafts and commercial vendors will fill the park for the festival along with a carnival.
The carnival will be presented by Guadagno & Sons Amusements (G&S Shows). However, the carnival rides won’t begin until Thursday evening, according to organizers.
A pre-sale of one-day unlimited ride wristbands cost $35 and ends at noon Thursday. Otherwise, attendees can purchase carnival packages at the park with four levels ranging from 36 credits costing $18 to 156 credit plus five free rides available for $78. Each package has a $2 service fee.
The Flower Festival celebrates the community’s roots in the flower industry that involved world-famous colorful fields of flowers attracting visitors.
While fewer fields exist, and other crops fill many fields, some colorful displays can be found, typically west of the city.
Canceled two years ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a smaller festival took place in early May last year, but did not include a parade. This year’s event will span four days, instead of the typical five.
For the full entertainment schedule, carnival rides and more, go to lompocvalleyfestivals.com or visit the organization’s Facebook page.